diff --git a/cmake/FindADIOS1.cmake b/cmake/FindADIOS1.cmake
index c40191677ef30d9995f8777c4a4161e64678130d..2bcd7158d27bad7f64644f371e92bff263fffff1 100644
--- a/cmake/FindADIOS1.cmake
+++ b/cmake/FindADIOS1.cmake
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ set(adios1_config_hints)
 foreach(PREFIX_VAR IN ITEMS ADIOS1_ROOT ADIOS1_DIR INSTALL_PREFIX)
   if(${PREFIX_VAR})
     list(APPEND adios1_config_hints "${${PREFIX_VAR}}/bin")
-  elseif("$ENV{${PREFIX_VAR}}")
+  elseif(NOT ("$ENV{${PREFIX_VAR}}" STREQUAL ""))
     list(APPEND adios1_config_hints "$ENV{${PREFIX_VAR}}/bin")
   endif()
 endforeach()